Lysa TerKeurst's Blog, page 6

Finding Peace When We’re Tempted to Panic

“When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously.” Daniel 6:10 (ESV)

Nothing can throw me into a pit quite like circumstances I can’t control. It’s that place where anxiety threatens to swallow me whole as my mind races through all of the fear-inducing what-ifs and unknowns.

That’s why I’m so thankful for the example set by Daniel in Scripture. Daniel 6:1-15 gives us such a clear picture of what we can do when all that feels safe and secure in our lives begins to come under attack.

In Daniel 6:10, Daniel has just learned that anyone caught praying to someone besides King Darius will be thrown into the lions’ den. Can you imagine the level of fear this edict could have stirred up in Daniel? He easily could have found himself in a pit of despair before he ever came close to that pit full of lions. But Daniel’s reaction is amazing.

Daniel goes home, throws his windows open and prays anyway. I wonder if I could have been so brave?

And do you know what he chose to pray?

“God, save me!”

“God, it’s not fair!”

“God, this is too much!”

“God, smite my enemies and wipe them out!”

No. None of the above.

Daniel 6:10b tells us Daniel spoke prayers of gratitude. “He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously.”

Since Daniel’s response is so opposite of the way most of us would react, it makes me stop and ponder. And what I discover are three powerful truths I want to both remember and live out.

1) Thankfulness must become a habit.

Our initial responses are usually a by-product of the rituals we’ve established in our life. Since gratitude-filled prayers were Daniel’s reaction, that tells me gratitude and trust in God were front and center in Daniel’s heart. Daniel was able to give thanks, even in the midst of uncontrollable circumstances, because it was a habit he’d already formed in his life.

2) Fighting fear begins the moment we start giving thanks.

Being a thankful person seemed to help Daniel combat fear. Never once does the story mention Daniel trying to hide. He didn’t set about trying to control or manipulate his situation. He simply threw his windows open and prayed where anyone and everyone could see.

This wasn’t Daniel living in denial of his circumstances. This was Daniel turning to God in the midst of his circumstances.

3) We can’t always fix our circumstances, but we can fix our eyes on God.

Daniel’s posture during prayer is revealing. First, we see Daniel was praying toward Jerusalem — a posture based on King Solomon’s words in 1 Kings 8:35-51 during the temple dedication. Daniel knew where his help and his hope came from — it came from God, and God alone.

Daniel’s deep level of trust is also revealed in that he was kneeling as he prayed. Prostration is a sign of both self-awareness and God-awareness. (1 Kings 8:54, Ezra 9:5, Luke 22:41, Acts 7:60) It’s an act of deep humility. We may not always be kneeling when we pray, but we can always choose the posture of Daniel’s heart.

Let’s ask the Lord to help us humbly and gratefully fix our eyes on Him instead of fixating on our problems today. And let’s allow Daniel’s life to be proof to our hearts that the words of Isaiah 26:3 are indeed true: God is able to keep in perfect peace those whose minds are fixed on Him, because they trust in Him.

Father God, I know it is normal for us to sometimes find ourselves in a pit of fear and discouragement. But we don’t have to stay there. Today, we’re choosing to fix our eyes on You. And we’re remembering that each and every thing we verbalize our thankfulness for is like a steppingstone out of the pit we’ve been in. Thank You for providing Your timeless truths that prove to us over and over again how powerfully capable You always are. With You by our side, we have no need to fear. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

The Day My Fragile Identity as a Mom Melted

“Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.” Proverbs 22:6 (NIV)



She had the most angelic sweetheart lips. Eyes as blue as the most tranquil oceans. Blonde ringlet curls. Chubby cheeks begging to be kissed over and over. Little hands that instinctively curled around my finger while simultaneously melting my heart.



Pure sweetness wrapped in a pink blanket.



And then came the day this little creature pursed those lips, gripped the toy in her hand, tilted her pigtailed head and screamed, “Mine! Mine! Mine!”



The fuss was over a small red toy my friend had let her borrow, my friend who was much more organized than I am. She’d brought along toys and baggies of Cheerios to keep the kids entertained during our coffee date. The plan to use this toy as temporary entertainment had worked beautifully. Until it was time to go.



I could feel a burning flush of embarrassment rush from my chest to my face.



Of course, my friend’s child was shining her halo with one hand while happily handing over her yellow toy with the other.



“Mine! Mine!” My daughter screamed as every eye in the small restaurant stared at me.



I pried the toy from her hand, thanked my friend, and hoisted my kicking and screaming daughter out of the wooden highchair. And then, in slow motion, I watched her knock my paper coffee cup from my hand and send it careening across the floor, splattering coffee on all those near us.



I felt my fragile identity as a mom melt into the puddle of spilled coffee. What happened to my angel? My beautiful daughter was … not so angelic.



It’s been many years since that day in the coffee shop.



But oh, how I wish I could go back and sit with my inexperienced mommy self on the drive home.



I would say, “Your daughter is a child in need of a parent. She needs to be taught. And some of your best teaching opportunities will come when she puts her sin nature on display. Don’t fear or fret or feel like this is some sort of failure on your part. Her outside demonstrations are an internal indication of her need for guidance. So guide her. Love her. And always remember to be the parent. Not her friend. Not her buddy. The parent.”



I needed to know what Proverbs 22:6 teaches: “Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.”



That daughter is 26 years old now. And she’s an absolute delight.



But growing her up wasn’t always easy. There were many more times when she put her sin nature on display, and each time I had to choose to be the parent.



It’s not easy to be the parent. It seems less and less popular to tell kids no.



As parents, we need to set biblical boundaries, teach our kids the difference between realistic and unrealistic expectations, draw lines between what’s appropriate and inappropriate for language and entertainment, model manners, and show them what it looks like to seek a life of godliness, not just religious activity.



Glory knows I’ve been so imperfect with all this.



But holding the line on being the parent, even when done imperfectly, is good.



All of these hard parenting moments will be worth it.



Even in those seasons where you feel as if your children are doing the opposite of what you’ve taught them. All that parenting is in them, and the fruit of it will emerge one day.



Yes, be the parent. Teach biblical truths. Stand strong in saying no, even when it’s not the popular choice.



That’s what our kids need so desperately.



And be encouraged, friend … you’re doing better than you think you are.



Dear Lord, You know better than all of us that parenting is hard. Help us to see each day as a teaching opportunity to raise up children who love You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Related posts:

Have your children been struggling with fear?
If God Really Loved Me …
Three Things Every Mom Should Know

The Day My Fragile Identity as a Mom Melted

“Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.” Proverbs 22:6 (NIV)

She had the most angelic sweetheart lips. Eyes as blue as the most tranquil oceans. Blonde ringlet curls. Chubby cheeks begging to be kissed over and over. Little hands that instinctively curled around my finger while simultaneously melting my heart.

Pure sweetness wrapped in a pink blanket.

And then came the day this little creature pursed those lips, gripped the toy in her hand, tilted her pigtailed head and screamed, “Mine! Mine! Mine!”

The fuss was over a small red toy my friend had let her borrow, my friend who was much more organized than I am. She’d brought along toys and baggies of Cheerios to keep the kids entertained during our coffee date. The plan to use this toy as temporary entertainment had worked beautifully. Until it was time to go.

I could feel a burning flush of embarrassment rush from my chest to my face.

Of course, my friend’s child was shining her halo with one hand while happily handing over her yellow toy with the other.

“Mine! Mine!” My daughter screamed as every eye in the small restaurant stared at me.

I pried the toy from her hand, thanked my friend, and hoisted my kicking and screaming daughter out of the wooden highchair. And then, in slow motion, I watched her knock my paper coffee cup from my hand and send it careening across the floor, splattering coffee on all those near us.

I felt my fragile identity as a mom melt into the puddle of spilled coffee. What happened to my angel? My beautiful daughter was … not so angelic.

It’s been many years since that day in the coffee shop.

But oh, how I wish I could go back and sit with my inexperienced mommy self on the drive home.

I would say, “Your daughter is a child in need of a parent. She needs to be taught. And some of your best teaching opportunities will come when she puts her sin nature on display. Don’t fear or fret or feel like this is some sort of failure on your part. Her outside demonstrations are an internal indication of her need for guidance. So guide her. Love her. And always remember to be the parent. Not her friend. Not her buddy. The parent.”

I needed to know what Proverbs 22:6 teaches: “Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.”

That daughter is 26 years old now. And she’s an absolute delight.

But growing her up wasn’t always easy. There were many more times when she put her sin nature on display, and each time I had to choose to be the parent.

It’s not easy to be the parent. It seems less and less popular to tell kids no.

As parents, we need to set biblical boundaries, teach our kids the difference between realistic and unrealistic expectations, draw lines between what’s appropriate and inappropriate for language and entertainment, model manners, and show them what it looks like to seek a life of godliness, not just religious activity.

Glory knows I’ve been so imperfect with all this.

But holding the line on being the parent, even when done imperfectly, is good.

All of these hard parenting moments will be worth it.

Even in those seasons where you feel as if your children are doing the opposite of what you’ve taught them. All that parenting is in them, and the fruit of it will emerge one day.

Yes, be the parent. Teach biblical truths. Stand strong in saying no, even when it’s not the popular choice.

That’s what our kids need so desperately.

And be encouraged, friend … you’re doing better than you think you are.

Dear Lord, You know better than all of us that parenting is hard. Help us to see each day as a teaching opportunity to raise up children who love You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

4 Keys to Having Healthier Relationships

What are the signs that a relationship is healthy? What can we do if a relationship seems unhealthy? Don’t miss this conversation I had with my personal counselor, Jim Cress, as we process 4 key choices you can make today that will help you…



* Know how and when to have helpful conversations you’ve been wanting to have without the other person shutting down or getting defensive.



* Make progress with points of contention in your relationship that you’ve previously felt stuck in knowing how to resolve.



* Discover the framework for a healthy conversations contract you can personalize that includes words to avoid and better scripts to use.



You don’t want to miss this!



Learn more about Jim and his work by visiting his website.







(If you’re viewing this post in an e-mail, click here to watch the video.)

In the video, we mentioned the Healthy Conversations Contract that will help you navigate the difficult conversations in your closest relationships, and we’d like to offer it to you today for free! Get your download by clicking HERE.

Related posts:

Have your children been struggling with fear?
Therapy & Theology on the Proverbs 31 Ministries Podcast
Pressing Through the Pain

Have your children been struggling with fear?

Have your children been struggling with fear in the midst of everything going on in the world?



I would love to help you encourage them. That’s why I’m reading from my children’s book, It Will Be Okay: Trusting God Through Fear and Change. I think it’s the perfect message for right now.



This book helps kids to better process their fears and learn to trust God. And it will help them discover that in the end, it really will be okay because we have a God who is good and kind and always with us.



I hope you’ll watch this video together and that your heart will be encouraged too! ️And don’t miss a special resource I’ve put together just for you below.







(If you’re viewing this post in an e-mail, click here to watch the video.)



There are so many uncertainties during this COVID-19 season, and that’s why I’ve partnered with my friend, Lisa Robertson, to write out some scriptural prayers for parents to pray for themselves. I also have a list I wrote of scriptural prayers to declare over sons and another over daughters.



Click here to receive this resource today. Print these prayers off and put them wherever you have a few minutes of quiet each morning.



And friend, let me whisper one more truth to you… you’re doing better than you think you are. No time spent in prayer is ever wasted. Our prayers matter. And in the midst of so much uncertainty, prayer is the best way to bring peace into our heart and home.

Related posts:

3 Perspectives to Process What We’re Facing Right Now
God’s Goodness Isn’t Cancelled
Three Things Every Mom Should Know

3 Perspectives to Process What We’re Facing Right Now

So much of what’s on the news today truly feels like something we’d only see in a Hollywood movie — not real life.



COVID-19 has not only spread across the world at record levels, but it’s also spread across our daily realities and changed so much for so many. Because of the life-threatening potential of the virus, social distancing and canceled gatherings are necessary precautions. We want to do what’s right, so we’re listening to officials and paying extra attention to updates and news conferences.



While all of this is necessary, it’s also jarring.



It’s like life just slammed on the brakes, and we’re all still reeling from the whiplash.



Certainly, in the grand scheme of things, saving lives is most important. But there are emotions we need to be able to process in the midst of all these sudden changes. One of those is the very real feeling of disappointment. And right behind it is the worry that expressing our disappointment could make us look petty in the midst of the seriousness of this virus.



Please know processing our disappointments is not only OK … it’s emotionally and spiritually necessary. You’re not making light of someone else’s serious pain when you process your pain to gain a better perspective.



So, first, whatever you’re going through today, it’s worth taking to the Lord and asking for His help. And second, let’s give each other grace since we are all trying to navigate unexpected fears, hardships and disappointments. Social distancing doesn’t mean we distance ourselves from offering each other grace.



With that as the anthem playing in the background … let’s process what we are facing.



Within the last few weeks, I had to help a friend navigate canceling her wedding. That same day, my husband had to close the dining room of his restaurant. Other friends are trying to figure out how to make enough money to live since they’ve been told their workplace had to close. Those of us who don’t get paid when we can’t go to work are looking at scary financial realities. Schools are closed. Graduations and family gatherings are canceled. Businesses large and small are experiencing financial realities that some fear they won’t be able to overcome. Everything we thought we would be doing in this season looks vastly different than we expected, and the feelings of loss are real.



So, what do we do with those? As Christians, how do we set our minds and hearts on things above when we are staring at startling realities?



Here are some things I wrote in my journal that are helping me:



1. Frame the disappointment by remembering what you do have, so you don’t get consumed by what’s been taken.



Many of you are having to cancel or postpone important life events right now and that’s very hard. It’s incredibly emotional when you’ve dreamed and planned and invested in what you thought would be a very normal expectation.



But remember, fun has not been canceled.



Love has not been canceled.



Being good to other people has not been canceled.



Learning and growing and maturing has not been canceled.



Use this time to reframe what matters most and choose to celebrate in creative ways.



I remember telling my daughters before their weddings: Expect the unexpected and realize you can’t control the uncontrollable. But you don’t have to spin out of control with the unexpected. You bring to your wedding day what you want for your marriage. You bring the love. You bring the beauty. You bring the fun. You bring the atmosphere of joy and peace. You bring lovely to your day, and it will be amazing.



But if you bring fear and dread and epic loads of disappointment because things look different than you thought they would, you’ll fill your day with that. Your heart is much too beautiful a place for the enemy’s tactics to taint it. So don’t let him.



This may be a delay. This may be a distraction. This may even be a devastation for a season. But this is not your final destination. Remember though COVID-19 has canceled many events, it has not canceled God’s goodness. Rest in that, rejoice in that, and be so very reassured.



2. Remember who God is, and use that to bring some gratitude into your disappointment.



God is a protector: He is protecting you from something you can’t see.



God is a provider: He is providing something if only you’ll look for it. Just because His provision is different doesn’t mean it’s not good.



God is present: Even when others are absent. God does incredible things in the unseen.



God is faithful: No matter what is being taken from you right now, place it in the hands of God. Give it to Him as your sacrifice. For whatever we willingly place in the hands of God, He will redeem. Martin Luther once said, “I have held many things in my hands and I have lost them all. But whatever I have placed in God’s hands, that I still possess.”



3. Disappointments often go hand in hand with fear of the future.



It can be so easy to let today’s disappointments make you expect the absolute worst for tomorrow. I’m challenging myself not to mentally run too far into an unknown future. I just have to make the most responsible decisions I can for today and place the rest in God’s hands. My job is to obey God. God’s job is everything else. Therefore, I can feel afraid, but I don’t have to live afraid.



Now is the time to feed your faith and fuel your healthy perspectives. Make the choice today what will rule in your hearts and proclaim out loud: “Disillusioning disappointments and blinding fear, you don’t get to be the boss of me … I am ruled by the peace of Christ, and I will use His Truth to frame all I see.”



“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts” (Colossians 3:15-16).

We know everything in life seems uncertain right now. In the midst of it all, we at Proverbs 31 Ministries want to offer you some free, practical ways to stay committed to studying God’s Word. Here are several resources we’ve put together to bring hope in uncertainty during these times.



* Download the introduction and first three chapters of my book, It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way: Finding Unexpected Strength when Disappointments Leave You Shattered, for FREE today.



* From Worry to Worship – a free 7-day devotional to help you find peace when you are tempted to panic, fight fear when it wages war on your heart, and practice trusting God in the midst of uncertain circumstances.



* Connecting God’s Heart to Yours: 31 Personalized Scriptures For Each Day free printable download!



To view the entire free collection of Hope in Uncertainty resources available from Proverbs 31 Ministries, click HERE.



Stay well friends, I’m praying for you!

Related posts:

God’s Goodness Isn’t Cancelled
If God Really Loved Me …
Hope for the Battle Weary

God’s Goodness Isn’t Cancelled

Disappointments are always difficult to process. But when disappointments are mixed in with many other fears, hardships, and crisis it can all seem completely overwhelming. I would imagine all of us are trying our best to manage what we expected this Spring to look like compared to our reality right now because of COVID-19.

I want to help you hit the pause button on all that’s going on, so earlier today I went live on Facebook and Instagram to open up God’s Word and discover what we should do with so many changes and unexpected disappointments right now in our personal lives and in our world. You can watch the replay below.

Join me live as we hit the pause button today to open up God's word and discover what to do with so many changes and unexpected disappointments.

I also want to share a free resource to help you better process what today looks like. You can sign up to receive the first 3 chapters of "It's Not Supposed to Be This Way" here: https://proverbs31.org/read/resource-...

Posted by Lysa TerKeurst on Tuesday, March 17, 2020

To access the introduction and first 3 chapters of It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way for free as I mentioned in the video, click HERE.



This is a challenging time. Please know my love and prayers are with you.

Related posts:

Alarmed and Resolved at the Very Same Time
Sometimes It’s a One- or Two-Verse Day
How Do I Get Through This?

Choosing Calling Over Comfort

“ … Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?’” John 21:15a (NIV)



Have you ever felt God stirring you to do something that’s terrifyingly outside of your comfort zone? Something completely opposite of what you think you want to do?



I confess that left to my own choosing, I want to take the safe, certain and comfortable route. And then Scriptures march right up to my limited perspective and challenge me to walk a path I’d never choose on my own.



A question forms in my heart. One that forces me to stop and reconsider the path that terrifies: Do you love Jesus and want Him more than anything else?



It’s this question the resurrected Jesus asked one of His disciples, Peter, at a crucial crossroad in Peter’s life. And goodness gracious, do I ever relate to Peter.



He’d been following Jesus for years when things got hard. Jesus was crucified, and Peter took his eyes off the hard path of continuing in ministry he’d been called to. He went back to what felt safe, certain and comfortable … his original occupation of fishing.



When the resurrected Jesus appeared in the flesh, He ruined Peter’s justifications to stay safe. Peter’s destiny wasn’t to be a fisherman for the rest of his life. He was to be a shepherd of God’s people.



“ … Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?’” (John 21:15a).



For Peter, the “these” which Jesus referenced might have been the large number of fish he’d just caught. Or “these” could have been anything else pulling Peter away from his calling. We all have our own “these” areas in life — things we sometimes choose over Jesus.



Thankfully, Jesus continues to invite us to a life of more. A life where we refuse to settle for less than all He’s called and designed us to do and to be.



That’s why I love the directives Jesus gives Peter in John 21:15‑17. I find it fascinating that Jesus asks Peter to do three things which mirror how shepherds actually care for their sheep in Israel even today.



Jesus commands Peter:



“FEED MY LAMBS” (John 21:15) — In the morning, the shepherd gets up early in the sheepfold and feeds the little lambs first. He picks up the little lambs. He holds them and checks them to make sure they are OK. He calls them by name because he knows the lambs intimately.



“TAKE CARE OF MY SHEEP” (John 21:16) — After feeding the lambs, the shepherd carefully leads the sheep down to a place where they can be fed. He leads them and cares for them.



“FEED MY SHEEP” (John 21:17) — The last step, once he’s fed the lambs, cared for the sheep and led them to a good pasture, is to feed the sheep.



So why is it so important to note that Jesus is giving these directives to Peter?



I believe Jesus is trying to turn Peter from a quick-judging fisherman into a caring shepherd. Fishermen quickly judged and counted the fish they caught. They threw out the small fish because they’d have to pay more in taxes than the fish was actually worth. They would look at the fish and say, “This one’s in, this one’s out, this one’s in, this one’s out.” Unlike a shepherd, a fisherman would never pick up the fish, love the fish, make sure the fish is OK or name the fish.



Yes, Peter has finished his season of being a fisherman of fish. Jesus is asking Peter to love Him more than the life Peter has known. Now He is calling Peter to be a shepherd for the people.



Jesus is also asking us to love Him more than the life we’ve known. And just like He equipped Peter by sending His Holy Spirit to fill and empower Peter for his calling (Acts 2), He willingly equips us. We have the gift of His Holy Spirit inside us and His written Word to continually guide us.



Sweet friends, let’s not rush past how amazing it is that the Lord wants to work through us — even with all our fears and failings. Let’s not allow fear or comfort to convince us to stay stuck in our same old ways. Let’s simply say to Jesus, “Yes, Lord. I love You more than these,” and follow His lead.



Lord, my soul declares “yes” to You today. Even if my hands are trembling … even if my feet feel shaky on this new path … I say “Yes.” I love You, and I will live for You. Change me. Lead me. I’m Yours. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Related posts:

The Blessings Found in the Fire

Choosing Calling Over Comfort

“ … Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?’” John 21:15a (NIV)



Have you ever felt God stirring you to do something that’s terrifyingly outside of your comfort zone? Something completely opposite of what you think you want to do?



I confess that left to my own choosing, I want to take the safe, certain and comfortable route. And then Scriptures march right up to my limited perspective and challenge me to walk a path I’d never choose on my own.



A question forms in my heart. One that forces me to stop and reconsider the path that terrifies: Do you love Jesus and want Him more than anything else?



It’s this question the resurrected Jesus asked one of His disciples, Peter, at a crucial crossroad in Peter’s life. And goodness gracious, do I ever relate to Peter.



He’d been following Jesus for years when things got hard. Jesus was crucified, and Peter took his eyes off the hard path of continuing in ministry he’d been called to. He went back to what felt safe, certain and comfortable … his original occupation of fishing.



When the resurrected Jesus appeared in the flesh, He ruined Peter’s justifications to stay safe. Peter’s destiny wasn’t to be a fisherman for the rest of his life. He was to be a shepherd of God’s people.



“ … Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?’” (John 21:15a).



For Peter, the “these” which Jesus referenced might have been the large number of fish he’d just caught. Or “these” could have been anything else pulling Peter away from his calling. We all have our own “these” areas in life — things we sometimes choose over Jesus.



Thankfully, Jesus continues to invite us to a life of more. A life where we refuse to settle for less than all He’s called and designed us to do and to be.



That’s why I love the directives Jesus gives Peter in John 21:15‑17. I find it fascinating that Jesus asks Peter to do three things which mirror how shepherds actually care for their sheep in Israel even today.



Jesus commands Peter:



“FEED MY LAMBS” (John 21:15) — In the morning, the shepherd gets up early in the sheepfold and feeds the little lambs first. He picks up the little lambs. He holds them and checks them to make sure they are OK. He calls them by name because he knows the lambs intimately.



“TAKE CARE OF MY SHEEP” (John 21:16) — After feeding the lambs, the shepherd carefully leads the sheep down to a place where they can be fed. He leads them and cares for them.



“FEED MY SHEEP” (John 21:17) — The last step, once he’s fed the lambs, cared for the sheep and led them to a good pasture, is to feed the sheep.



So why is it so important to note that Jesus is giving these directives to Peter?



I believe Jesus is trying to turn Peter from a quick-judging fisherman into a caring shepherd. Fishermen quickly judged and counted the fish they caught. They threw out the small fish because they’d have to pay more in taxes than the fish was actually worth. They would look at the fish and say, “This one’s in, this one’s out, this one’s in, this one’s out.” Unlike a shepherd, a fisherman would never pick up the fish, love the fish, make sure the fish is OK or name the fish.



Yes, Peter has finished his season of being a fisherman of fish. Jesus is asking Peter to love Him more than the life Peter has known. Now He is calling Peter to be a shepherd for the people.



Jesus is also asking us to love Him more than the life we’ve known. And just like He equipped Peter by sending His Holy Spirit to fill and empower Peter for his calling (Acts 2), He willingly equips us. We have the gift of His Holy Spirit inside us and His written Word to continually guide us.



Sweet friends, let’s not rush past how amazing it is that the Lord wants to work through us — even with all our fears and failings. Let’s not allow fear or comfort to convince us to stay stuck in our same old ways. Let’s simply say to Jesus, “Yes, Lord. I love You more than these,” and follow His lead.



Lord, my soul declares “yes” to You today. Even if my hands are trembling … even if my feet feel shaky on this new path … I say “Yes.” I love You, and I will live for You. Change me. Lead me. I’m Yours. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Does It Really Matter If I Don’t Read God’s Word Today?

“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.” Isaiah 55:10-11 (ESV)



I closed my eyes, and warm tears slipped down my face onto my pillow. I knew I should pray but quite honestly, I just couldn’t find the words. I could hear the kids fighting in the kitchen. More evidence I wasn’t measuring up. I knew I should get up and address whatever was causing the chaos between them, but I just didn’t have it in me. Not that day.



I didn’t know what to do.



I didn’t know who to call.



I didn’t know how to pray and get some sort of answer from God.



And I certainly didn’t have a clue how to find something relatable to read in the Bible.



This is the desperate place I was in during the early days of my family. And while I knew I needed to connect with God’s truth, I honestly had no clue how much He was offering me. I simply wanted Him to rain down “right now” wisdom and refreshment. But God’s Word offers us so much more. Scripture also supplies us with seed for our future.



We see this powerful truth in Isaiah 55:10-11, which says:



“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven

and do not return there but water the earth,

making it bring forth and sprout,

giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,

so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;

it shall not return to me empty,

but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,

and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.”



This water imagery would have been quite significant to the people of Israel. Because of where they lived, they were heavily dependent on seasonal rains for water. Water simply wasn’t as easily accessible to them as it was for other nations like the Egyptians with the Nile River.



Of course, I don’t think there was anything coincidental about their location or their dependence on the seasonal rains. The Israelites’ need to depend on God for physical sustenance and satisfaction would have served as a continual reminder of their need to depend upon Him spiritually as well.



I also want us to note that the Israelites didn’t just need the rain for immediate relief for themselves or nourishment for their plants. The rains served a dual purpose — enabling the crops to flourish in that year for food, as well as enabling the crops to produce the seeds necessary for the following year. The water provided not only sustenance for the present but assurance for the future.



How like the Word of God!



Scripture, like rain, brings us immediate nourishment and refreshment for our present circumstances (Psalm 19:7-10), but it also plants seeds to sustain us in the future (Isaiah 55:10). God already sees everything coming our way, and that means He knows exactly how to begin preparing our hearts today.



Sadly, though, the references to hunger and thirst we find at the beginning of this passage reveal the Israelites had not been turning to God or His Word as their source of wisdom and satisfaction (Isaiah 55:1-2). This is where we must make one important distinction between plants and people. When rain falls, plants are automatically nourished. We, however, are quite different. In our relationship with God, responding and receiving is our responsibility. We must choose to receive His truth and His grace.



Oh, friends. Let’s not miss out on all God is offering.



If I could go back and gently encourage my younger self in that desperate season, this is what I would say: Open up His Word, Lysa. Open it up on the days you feel like it and on the days you’re just not sure you can. Read it. Receive it. Let it soak deep into your soul.



Like my friend Kimberly Henderson says, “Some days God’s Word is going to feed us right away like bread, and other days it might feel more like holding onto seeds. Words that we may not grasp why we need them just yet but that still should be deposited in our hearts so they can grow.”



Yes. Being in God’s Word is more vital than we can possibly begin to know — both for our todays and our tomorrows.



Father God, I’m so amazed by the ways Your Word is both the perfect provision for today and the exact preparation I need for all of my tomorrows. I don’t ever want to take the gift of Your Word for granted. I want to accept the gift, open the gift and use the gift. Every single day. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

In a time where there are so many of us hurting and afraid with lingering questions about our own situations … one thing is certain. We are so very united in our tears. I’ve seen this to be true over and over again.



Watching God move hearts and shift mindsets as we link arms in the name of Jesus is breathtaking. No matter what, we are more unified than ever when we seek Him together.



And that’s why I want to invite you to join me for two special events I’ll be hosting in 2020: the Encounter Tour and The Word Alive.



At these conferences, we’ll laugh, learn and experience God’s presence in a powerful way. Most importantly, we’ll dig into His Word and understand how it truly applies to what we’re walking through.



For more information about locations and tickets:



click HERE for The Encounter Tour and HERE for The Word Alive.



I can’t wait to see you there.

Related posts:

Can I Really Trust God?
What Only God Can Do
If Temptation Had a Warning Label